She Runs
by veronicamarsl3ve
Summary: "She runs away She runs right to it So fast she'll run right through it I don't ask her where she has to be But sometimes she runs to me" Veronica's trek at the FBI leads her back to the Lilly Kane murder and the startling things they missed. And of course, without fail, the epic twists of fate land her back into Logan's life after nine years.


**Hey guys, this is a short AU story I wrote while writing the last chapter of And All the Years After. It just kind of came to me and I wanted to share with you guys this AU version that was running through my head. It is a short fic and will only be a few chapters, so I hope you like it! Let me know :)**

**Chapter One**

She balanced the sloshing coffee cup. The neutral outer Styrofoam cup and the bitter taste were the evidence that the particular coffee kiosk she stopped at on her way into work was more about convenience than taste.

The fluorescent lighting and lines of cubicles made the office seem like any other ordinary business environment, but the rows of black suits was the give away. She set her morning jolt down, taking one last sip of the strong expresso as she let it linger in the back of her throat, firing up the trusty laptop as she did. All a morning routine she had grown to do in repetitive motion.

"Lilly!" Anthony, her usual and loyal pairing in the field, hollered from peering behind the glass break room. "Fredrick asked me to tell you that he wants to see you."

She nods, immediately clearing her throat. "Uh, alright. Thanks." She waves as she pulls at her dark suit, straightening it to the level of perfectionism she knew she would be critiqued at. It was much like being sent to the principal's office when the assistant director called you in. She had learned that through experience it usually meant nothing good. Either a reprimand for a fail or news of a case you would rather not be a part of.

Being in the New York office meant directors were in charge and with them came cases far beyond just the city. Usually they were assigned to the plenty of crime that dominated the New York streets, but the size and man power of the office and the years of experience these agents possessed landed them on cases around the country. Usually ones with particular grit and far past the everyday crime she would much rather handle. Serial killers and psychopaths had left some permanent scars during her stint in DC. Bad news was with most visits with the boss, meant a dreaded trip was a waiting.

One last tug at her clothes and her hand through her hair, she exhaled as she entered the large office, the one overlooking the impressive streets filled with sky scrapers and noise. Another way she felt small in this encompassing work with being a part of the FBI.

Neal Fredrick was tall and handsome, salt and pepper hair and distinguished. He looked so stereotypical of who you would imagine in the role, she had found it comical the first time she met him for her transfer interview. But quickly she learned for as charismatic as his outward appearance was, he was that dry on the inside, all business and hardened shells. I guess that is what nearly thirty years of seeing how truly nasty the world is will do to you.

He looks up from his stacks of papers, his crisp, white shirt as stiffly placed to his body as his posture.

"Sit. Please." He added the magic word at the end as an after thought.

She could hear her knees crack as she placed herself in the cold, leather chair- a reminder of a few injuries gained in the line of duty. Chasing bad guys down the streets looked far easier on TV and she had six years of experience of tired and sore muscles to tell you the job was anything but glamorous.

"You wanted to see me, sir?"

He slides the folder across his desk as he still keeps his gaze on the papers in front of him. What he was staring at was far more important than whatever he had called her in for, yet he had learned the multitasking skill well. I guess you do when there is always another situation arising, bigger and badder than the last.

She opened the file, hands sure and steady as the noise of the paper shuffling was the only noise present in the room.

She shifted her eyes to her boss one last time, with permission seeking gaze before she continued to look, his nod of affirmation a go ahead.

Her calm and assured behavior had been something she was known for. She had talked a many of people of a ledge, negotiated with killers holding hostages and even was sent on the front lines to reason with those seemed unreasonable. It was far from the volatile and passionate version of her past. The one always eager for the confrontation and the bite from the game of revenge. She had learned to subdue that side, that summer after she realized that that girl had single handedly brought down all of those she loved. That girl was going to end up alone and with more regrets than she could count. The FBI summer program had been waiting after the fateful freshman year at Hearst. She found herself there, her new self, though she always hated the way that cliché sounded. And a transfer to Stanford and a name change down the line and suddenly Veronica Mars had started to become a thing of the past. The name almost felt like an alter ego, or fiction now as she subdued its hauntings to the back of her mind. Filling her days with the fight of taking the bad guy down and doing it in the way she had been trained. The right way, the sure way, the way lacking all signs of illogical and emotional behavior.

The name meant nothing when not attached to that place far away in the recesses in her mind. At least that was what she told herself.

She glances up, wide eyes and lacking the calm grandeur she had just possessed.

"No, sir. You can't be serious."

He raised his left brow as he seemed to pose the question back at her with just a look. "Lilly, the LA office sent over the file when they saw the mentions of your former name lighting up the old case attached to it. They seemed to think you could be of help and I agreed that you could be a fresh set of eyes for the investigation."

She cleared her throat as she continues, uneven breaths and panic attacks had never come when wrestling down a gunman, but one look at _his _name and cool and collected vanished. Nineteen year old Veronica was banging down the walls with a vengeance. "Sir, it has been nearly a decade since I set foot here. I mean I have gone out of my way to avoid this place, paying for friends and family to come out to see me. You guys taught me to leave anything behind that clouds my judgment." She locks eyes with the man she feels she is begging for her life to. "And trust me, sir. If there is any place that clouds my judgment." She pauses, running her fingers over the name in bold letters, the other name from her past that she pushed away. The one that never was as successfully buried. The one that kept her up at night, though she denied its presence when the morning hours came. "If anyone clouds my judgment. It is him."

The usually stoic man chuckles at her emotional behavior. "Well, I trust you better than that. I have seen you in action and have no doubt that you will handle yourself in the manner you should." He pauses as her eyes fall to the pages in despondent nature. "Not to mention. I thought this would interest you. After all, you spent years of your life trying to track this man down. You even took on the first name of his victim, I know that has to be a sign of your attachment. I thought you would want to help see to the justice of the other young woman's death we now believe he saw to."

Her eyes flashed before they went back to the paper, skimming it furiously. "So Logan." She stutters at his actual name on her lips, it was once so natural. She was sure this was what people who had to relearn how to walk felt. Something so familiar, so second nature- was now like hitting the restart button. You had to relearn it all again. "He found evidence of another minor affair?"

Neal nods as he takes a seat, seeming pleased in her now interest. "Yes. I don't know all the details, all I know is he found some considerable evidence that is tied to a young girl who went missing over ten years ago. The LA office thinks it is enough to reopen the old case on Lilly Kane and also the new victims. Tara Larkin."

Just the mention of her once best friend, though she wore her first name daily, was like a sucker punch to the gut. Her hands shaking with the weak emotion of what she used to live with daily.

"Sir, do I have a choice in the matter?" Her lip went stiff as her cool demeanor went into auto pilot.

He shook his head. "No. I believe you will be useful. And since the suspected murdered was once a famous figure we need to be concise and wrap this up as quickly as possible. Which I believe their chances of doing so increase with you on the team."

Her shoulders tighten as her posture goes rigid. Years of experience trained her how to become the soldier they had trained. "When do I leave?"

"As soon as you can. Go home. Get your affairs in order, study the case and be on a flight tomorrow morning. The LA office has paired you with Lana Robins, your old colleague from back in DC. I thought that might be helpful to you."

She shows no emotion as she nods, scooping up the paper work, the next question biting at the tip of her usually sharp tongue. "And my visit. Is it confidential –"

He interrupts. "No, your job would be pointless to remain in the shadows. Go back, enjoy seeing some family and friends. Use your skills to take the guy down and get back to us."

She stares back blankly, swallowing the hard lump forming in her throat. "And how do you wish me to conduct this investigation?"

"I have no specifics. The other director will brief you when you arrive. But I assume you will question Mr. Echolls, search trough the evidence at hand and any other belongings of the late Mr. Echolls."

He cocked his head in unsure reading, licking his lips before raising his hand in impatient manner. "That will be all, Agent Norris."

She nods with a reverent kind of bow as she takes her things, her feet like cement as she makes her way to the large glass pained doors.

"And Agent Norris." She turns her head half way as she listens. "I suggest you start to answer to Veronica Mars again. It will make it easier for those in your past."

She fights for the ability to become robotic one last time, falling short as she responds. "Yes, sir."

Veronica always hated the four flights of stairs her crappy apartment sat on. It wasn't much of a looker, and she found herself embarrassed whenever her dad had ventured up to the big apple and she could see his disapproving glances. If it wasn't for the barely useful door lock or the rusted over sink the place wouldn't be half bad. At least that was what she reasoned to herself.

She balanced the brown paper bags of groceries she picked up on the way home, her keys jingling in her hand. She picked up the necessities for the trip, the quick errand run down to a science now, though she swear it took her longer this time. Something about ex boyfriends ringing in your ears and the mentioning of an old murder that still shaped who she was, had a way of slowing the toiletry purchases down.

She pushed with force against the old wooden door, and it made its distinct creaking noise, the kind that summoned Leonardo she was home. The fat, paint splattered cat ventured out from her tiny bedroom with meows of delight.

"Hey, boy." She purred at him, placing the bags down on the counter as she let her hands tickle his back slightly and with that he moved on. She had never seen herself as much of a cat person, in fact she rather loathed them. Growing up with pit bulls had sealed her heart away to the title of dog lover, but a dog in the city with her job and her place- It was inhumane. She had resided to being alone completely until she met the orange and black cat one cold night on a late case, one filled with sad details. The poor abandoned pet was going to be surrendered to the local shelter and though she had seen the act take place a hundred times, for some reason he stood out. She says it is that it was close to Christmas and she was feeling sentimental. Deep down she knows she rather relates to her new companion. Both laced with scars that make them the distant, prickly selves they are. And both of them alone in this large, lonely city. They worked well together, small greetings and distant, mutual respect. It was a rather nice roommate agreement, though she did take extra care in selecting who checked in on him on her trips.

"Well, Leo." She said unloading the groceries, stacking and grouping the items on the counter. "It looks like you and Mrs. Garcia will be spending some special time together this week."

He opened his mouth in understanding and she smirked. Another reason she liked the cat. He was smart and had her mutual fondness toward the elderly lady down the hall.

"I know, I know. Such a hard life getting pampered and spoiled by her, huh?"

He voiced his agreement in purrs and she swore she had either lost her sense of reality or the cat was human. Before she could respond in usual quick remarks, those now reserved for her roommate, her phone rang- the familiar name and face lighting up the screen.

"Q, you do love me after all." She smiled, though it was filled with reservation and nerves at what this conversation would hold, knowing her call to her dear old dad would result in her friends from afar pinging her.

"Oh Bond, is it true what I have heard? That you will actually be gracing us with your presence and on Neptune soil?"

"Yes, the great rumors are true. Though I would like to keep it on the down low. At least until I arrive."

"Yeah, it would be horrible to give your ex boyfriend a heads up about the ghost of his past returning." Mac said it in joking form but there was truth in jest to it. Mac and Logan had gone separate ways. After he and Parker broke up and Veronica left, he traveled some wild paths their not very mature friendship could not quite keep up with. And though she never seemed to want to jump back in to friendship with him, she did always seem to pity him striking at Veronica's nerve.

"Yes, that would be ideal." She said with forced jovial tone as she continued to organize her purchases. "And Mac? I am under orders to go by Veronica again."

Mac busted into laughter. "Yeah, well that shouldn't be a problem. I resounded to calling you any nickname I could muster and Wallace seemed to take on the trend. And let's be honest your dad never accepted the new identity well."

She laughs now, relaxing her shoulders a bit before the unease floods again through every muscle and joint. "Mac, I-"

"You've got this, V. I have no doubt."

"Yeah, well we shall see." She clears her throat. "Well, I better go pack. See if I have any clothes that I wont burn up in during my visit to the sunny weather."

"When will I see you?"

"I don't know. I am sure they will send me to work right away, but I am staying in Neptune, so I am sure we will get to catch up soon."

She could almost hear Mac's smile through the phone. "It will be good to have you back."

Veronica sighed. "Yeah, well. We shall see."

Landing in LAX never failed to be stressful. The crazed traffic and atmosphere as chaotic as New York yet the air was warmer and the people wore less clothes. She had made the trek a few times, The LA field office housing training and a few cases she assisted. They had recently changed over assistant directors and she had heard the new lady was as hard as they come, making her stomach knot in the lack of leniency she would have to her girlish problems of past love and inner drama.

It was funny how everything in California was brighter and sunnier. Even the office here was designed with more windows, that famous and distinct sunshine cascading through the open floor plan. The receptionist was slightly more made up here, her painted lips and eyes and sun kissed skin far from the elderly lady that wore her distinct tight bun daily in New York.

The girl raised her manicured brow as Veronica approached. "Can I help you?"

"Uh, yes Agent Norris. I mean Agent Mars." Veronica blinked as she tried to hide the way her own name on her lips rattled her. "I am here to see Director Brady."

"Oh yes she is waiting for you." The receptionist stood, her pencil skirt straightening as she ushered Veronica to the back office. "Right this way."

The greenery displaced through Director Brady's office said more of her feminine appeal than the sterile look Director Fredrick preferred, but one look at her tight face and worn lines screamed the same apathetic attitude of her boss.

"Agent Mars." The calculated way she moved showed her years of training had overpowered every other sense. "Please come in."

Veronica found the closest seat as she waited patiently for her orders. She had learned long ago to take the passive way into another branch. A sure way to be hated was to come in like you own the place, something she genuinely struggled to subdue.

"I am sure Neal has briefed you?"

Veronica nodded. "Yes, mam. Though he was unsure in the manner as to how you would like me to help with this investigation."

She pulled out the file again looking it over as if she did not want to miss a detail. She was thorough and that was something Veronica admired. The ones who pay attention to the details always catch the bad guy.

"Agents Robins, who I understand is a friend of yours, she and a few of our other agents have already begun the investigation. We saw your name pop up a lot when it came to the Echolls/ Kane murder and we thought with your knowledge of how he operated that you might be useful. I would like you to join the team as if you were a member of our office."

She looks Veronica up and down with a scowl set into a firm line around her mouth and Veronica could see what was next. "I am also aware of your history with Logan Echolls. I trust this will not be a problem?" She said it with questioning tone thought it was a command.

"No mam, it will be fine." Veronica wondered if her fibs made her body respond, if the trained woman in front of her could read the lack of sureness she possessed. After all, it had been a decade and things had never been easy with those two.

Director Brady seemed to buy it as she exhaled. "Good. He is crucial to us. He is the one with the access to most of the new evidence and our investigation is ongoing and he is greatly involved. I thought with how highly you are reviewed that you would not let teenage issues come back to light. But I needed to make sure."

Veronica's palms display over her knees, she can feel the slick moisture and heat they are producing as a drop of sweat falls down her neck.

"No, mam. I will do my job and then be home. I assure you I am anxious to get back to New York."

The director smiled for the first time, it rigid and tired, her mouth looking as if the exercise was not one it indulged in often.

"Very well. Tell Genny to take you to Agent Robins." She stood to her feet now, gripping Veronica's hand with a firm shake. "Thank you for your help, Agent Mars. Excited to see you in action."

Veronica would recognize that bright ginger pony tail anywhere, the sight making her tight mouth break into faint smile. Veronica nodded with a thank you to the receptionist as she stepped forward.

"My, my aren't you as fetching as ever Agent Robins?"

Dazzling green eyes sparked with excitement greeted her, though the up beat red head kept her voice from showing her natural bents of zeal.

"Agent Lilly Norris." She grinned and Veronica felt ease for the first time, her new identity much like a security blanket. "Though I hear we are instructed to call you by your former name. Veronica Mars." She says it drawn out and in playful taunting making Veronica fall into a rhythm of old friendship.

She and Lana had worked closely together in the DC office. Seeing and hearing of things no 25 year old girls should. It had been bonding, but much like how this world works you leave the bonds behind with each next step. Friendship was messy and god knows there lives were messy enough with crime scenes and talks of the evil around them.

"Yes, though if you wanted to call me, Lilly- I would be rather okay with that."

"Follow me." Lana motioned with her shoulder, her happy smirk still present like she had a secret. "So. Logan Echolls."

Veronica heaved a heavy breath as she crocked her brow in a large range of implications.

Lana nibbled her lip as she continued. "I can see why that one did a number on you. Hunky and sweet as hell."

Veronica's nose scrunched. "I get the hunky part." She let out a hoarse chuckle. "But sweet?"

"Yes, I am was starting to think all those bad boy stories and talks of epic fist fights were made up tales by you until I took a look at his record."

"Well, it has been ten years. I am sure he was bound to change. But he always has been sweet." Veronica says it with a delicate tone and catches it with large insecurity. No one here knew that side of her.

Her old friend watched from the corner of her eye with a slight gleam as she seemed to wait for the question she knew was coming. Lana had always been good at reading people, their body language, what to expect from them. It made her the top person to interview a suspect. She had a way of making them believe they had a friend before she turned the tables on them, the happy red head from before suddenly all fire and edge.

"So does he know?"

"Know what?" Lana was going to make her voice it out loud.

"That you know me. Or that I am coming?"

She shook her head, her bright pony tail swinging with her as they reached the door. "No. I did not mention it, and we were not sure of you coming until this morning so we were instructed not to tell him. He did mention you though." She said retrieving her sunglasses as they large SUV greeted them at the entry, Veronica perking up with clear visions of nausea and intrigue. "He went on a slight ramble that he thought an old friend of his was in the FBI. He fished around but I stayed silent."

"Hm, well this should be interesting." Veronica added emotionless as she tucked away the pin pricks trying to break through of her old emotions.

They crawled into the black car, meeting three other agents taking their mode into business. Lana's voice had more command now. "Agent Mars, this is Agent Copper, Herring and Murphy." They all shook hands cordially as Lana continued to lead the operation. "You all, Agent Mars is familiar with the Echolls/ Kane Murder, as you know. She is old friends of both families and is here to assist. Please be mindful as Mr. Echolls is not aware of her being here yet." Each eye was on her now with intrigue. They were agents after all, their jobs were to read between the lines and this story had a lot of space between the lines.

"Let's catch her up while we are on our way, shall we?"

They all snapped to attention, Veronica settling in her seat. She operated better this way, doing work, being work. This was who she was now.

They car halted suddenly and in jerking fashion, making the team look up from their stacks of papers for the first time since leaving. Veronica had liked it this way, deliberately using the excuse to not take in the old haunts and surroundings of the seaside town. After all, there would be plenty of time for that.

The car was parked in front of a large, gated home- the driver immediately speaking into an intercom linked to the gate. Veronica's mouth went to gaping shape as she took in the large Mediterranean style home, planted on the beach, as she smirked at noticing the detail. Of course Logan would live on the beach.

"Veronica." Lana said forcefully enough to break her out of her trance. "Just try to take a passive role today. We are not sure how the subjects will react to your presence."

Veronica agreed with an emphasized nod as she watched the others climb out of the car, her feet wobbling against the stony path as her friend reached for her arm.

"It will be okay." She whispered in her ear, losing all the formal tone from before.

Veronica peered back with limp expression as suddenly she felt encompassed in a world of nerves of walking Neptune High's halls and dread of feeling her heart rip open like it was yesterday. Memories of pain came jolting back with flashes of Madison Sinclair and Parker, and suddenly she missed Lilly Norris far too much.

She lagged behind as her eyes danced and crossed in uneasy wonder and absolute dread.

"Is there anything I need to know?" Veronica whispered back as her heart began to speed at the sound of the doorbell. She looked to Lana. "I mean as a friend. Is there anything I need to know as your friend?"

Lana swallowed. "He has a girlfriend. A serious one."

Veronicas lips pursed together before they pulled in. "Yeah, okay." She said shakily as the door swung open, and behind the tall figures of men in front of her she noticed the pair of brown eyes that inhabited her child hood and all the time after.

"Hey guys. Come in." He said with welcoming tone, her heart pounding to life in a way that had been absent for years. The way his husky voice reverberated off her ears was sweetly familiar, but the deeper more mature tones of it left her feeling like she was on the outside. That he was just a stranger now.

Lana stepped forward now, Veronica reaching for her large shades as if it would actually disguise her.

She hesitated behind as her friend stepped forward, meeting Logan in the doorway, keeping her head down and unable to get a good look at him as she hid.

"Mr. Echolls, there is something I need to bring you up to speed on."

They all ushered in and Veronica took her spot behind the three large agents she had drove with, hoping to blend in as long as possible.

Lana carried on, Veronica's head still lowered. "We have brought someone in on this case to consult. We believe that they will be of great help to close this case quickly. But this person is someone you are familiar with."

Her voice rang out calm and steady and Logan listened intently as Veronica could see from her peripheral as he kept his hands at his hips, much like his old ways. The fleeting glance making her stomach knot up and turn over in multiple cycles.

"We hope you understand."

Veronica glanced up, it was like a missile lock, she always knew when his gaze was on her. Hundreds of people around and Veronica had always had the innate ability to know when he was watching. And now was no different as her body went into familiar auto pilot, glancing back quickly to see a disturbed and contorted version of his face, and his heavy brows pulled in - making her quickly lower her head.

He cut off Lana stepping out and peering between the men. "Veronica?" His voice cracked, making her remember many a time she had caused it to fill with that sincerity of emotion.

Her shaky hands reached for the glasses as she lifted her head, the reveal of her sapphire eyes making his mouth fall ajar.

"Hey, Logan. Long time-" She stated with gleeful and inappropriate jest as he scoffed in return.

She swallowed the lump full of tears and fears she had submerged deep- that one look at him had brought to the surface.

The years had been good to him, his face more lean and chiseled, a few lines of age in a distinguished way. He wore his hair shorter and his body was tighter and leaner, pronounced by the tight white t-shirt and jeans.

The moments passed like eternity, his betrayed and utterly sick expressions like her own personal torture as he eyed her like a ghost. His breaths were heavy as he cocked his head toward Lana, keeping those darkened pools of brown on Veronica. She twisted up on the inside at the look, the faint glimpse she had seen of him before he recognized her, a light exuberance radiating off of him. And now in one minute of her return he looks as tortured and dark as ever.

"I am guessing this is who you were talking about, Agent Robins?"

"Yes, sir." Robins responds professionally, though this entire exchange had anything but FBI material written on it, the other colleagues uneasy at the growing tension.

Logan's tight mouth formed into a frown, before trickling into fain signs of a smirk, that single dimple making its way to the surface. And like that she recognized the boy from long ago, that weak and totally consuming inability for them to ever stay neutral rang loud and clear.

"Well, Veronica- you always know how to make an entrance. Nine years of radio silence and yet I never imagined us meeting like this. Bravo on the element of surprise."


End file.
